1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving system for a washing machine. More particularly, it relates to a driving system for a washing machine having a decelerating device mounted under a motor for reducing the rotation speed of the motor so as to decrease the bulk and weight of the washing machine whereby the washing task can be converted into the extracting task and vice versa by means of a single lever.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The conventional art will be described with reference to the attached drawings.
A conventional washing machine, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a housing 1, a washing tub 2 held in the housing 1, a driving means 3 installed below the washing tub 2, and a power transmission means 5 connected with the driving means 3 via a driving belt 4 to be driven by the driving means 3.
An extracting tub 6 is installed in the washing tub 2 and positioned in front of the power transmission means 5 to spin by the transmitted power. An agitator 7 is installed on the bottom of the extracting tub 6 so as to agitate and wash garments by applying physical force thereto, simultaneously with rotating right and left on receipt of power from the power transmission means 5, to make the water turbulent.
A water supply means 8 is installed in the extracting tub 6 at the rear of the housing 1 to furnish water to the extracting tub 6, and a drain means 9 is installed under one end of the extracting tub 6 to discharge the water to the outside. Under the water-supply means 8, is installed a detergent dissolving means 10 to dissolve a detergent with the water from the water supply means 8 and provide it to the washing tub 2 and the extracting tub 6.
As shown in FIG. 2, the agitator 7 includes a pulsator 7a which is coupled with the power transmission means 5 to rotate reversibly right and left on the bottom of the extracting tub 6 for making water turbulent, thus stirring and washing the laundry; a vertical fan 7b which is integrally attached to the middle of the pulsator 7a for rotating with the pulsator 7a making a right-and-left reversion and for forming water current jetting upward in order to prevent the laundry from being twisted and tangled; and a plurality of wings 7d which are formed to protrude radially around a shaft 7c of the pulsator 7a, spaced a given distance away from each other.
The power transmission means 5 includes a pulley 11 operating together via the driving belt 4 by the driving power of the driving means 3; a driving shaft 12 rotatably coupled with the pulley 11; a coupling 13 engaged with the driving shaft 12, a lower connector 14 rotatably installed at an inner circumference of an upper part of the driving shaft 12 via a pair of upper and lower bushings 15, and an upper connector 16 rotatably installed above the lower connector 14, thereby rotating integrally.
A brake band 17 is installed at an outer circumference of the upper connector 16 so that binding force holding the upper connector 16 is released when a brake lever is operated.
A driven shaft coupling 18, on which the extracting tub 6 is installed, is coupled to the upper portion of the upper connector 16 by a serration method, and a driven shaft 20, to which the agitator 7 is coupled via two upper and lower bushings 19, is rotatably installed at the inner circumference of the driven shaft coupling 18 via two upper and lower bushings 19.
The driving shaft 12 is engaged with a linear gear 21 at its upper end and the linear gear 21 is engaged with a plurality of planetary gears 22 at its circumference, so that the planetary gears 22 can freely decelerate while rotating through a shaft 25 which is coupled between an upper carrier 23 and a lower carrier 24 respectively installed on upper and lower parts of the driven shaft 20.
The planetary gears 22 rotate engaged with an internal gear 26 that is formed on an inner circumference of the upper connector 16. On the outer circumference of the lower part of the lower connector 14, are inserted ball bearings 27 into the bottom of a lower case 28 so that the lower connector 14 may rotate easily by means of the ball bearings 27. Supporting members 30 are installed on the ball bearings 27 via the bushing 15 and a clutch bearing 29 and coupled with a lower part of the lower case 28 by a fixing means 31. A clutch spring 32 is installed between end parts of the lower connector 14 and the driving shaft coupling 13 to control the washing and extracting tasks, and surrounded with a clutch holder 33 through the whole surface of the clutch spring 32. The clutch spring 32 has an upper end which is engaged with the lower connector 14, and a lower end which is fixedly connected with the clutch holer 33 surrounding the outer surface of the clutch spring 32. A sleeve member 35 of saw-toothed shape is installed at an outer circumference of the clutch holder 33 via a brake ring 34.
A brake lever 36 is installed at one side of the lower case 28, and a connecting lever 37 is installed under the brake lever 36, so that the sleeve member 35 and the brake ring 34 compress the clutch spring 32 when the brake lever 36 is driven. A clutch lever 38 is installed at one side of the brake lever 36 to receive the power of a drain motor (not shown) for operating the brake lever 36 and the connecting lever 37. Reference numeral 39 denotes an upper case.
In such a conventional washing machine, however, the construction is complicated and causes in an increase in noise or vibration during operation since the driving means is off-centered from the driving shaft.